Wave of bomb blasts target Christians in Baghdad

Security forces and locals gather at a scene of a bomb blast in Baghdad this morning (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)

At least three people have been killed and two dozen injured in yet another terrorist attack on Iraq's Christians

A series of bomb blasts targeting Christians in Baghdad has killed at least three people and injured two dozen more, security sources have said.

At least 14 roadside bombs were detonated and a mortar round was fired in Christian districts across the Iraqi capital last night and early this morning.

An interior ministry source told Reuters that the attacks were a “continuation” of the massacre at Our Lady of Salvation church which killed dozens of worshippers last week.

According to one report, today’s bombings targeted the family of one of the victims of the massacre.

The Islamic State of Iraq – an al-Qaeda front group – claimed responsibility for the Baghdad church attack and warned in a message published on militant websites that more attacks would follow. “We will open upon them the doors of destruction and rivers of blood,” the statement said.

The latest bombings follow protests by Iraqi Christians in Sweden, Australia, Britain, the Netherlands, Germany and America who urged the Iraqi government to do more to protect the country’s minorities.

About 300 protesters at the “Black March” in London called on Britain to remember its historic debt to Iraq’s Aramaic-speaing Assyrian Christians, who fought alongside Britain in two world wars.

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Joe Palmer

At least someone is reporting this, even if it isn't a headline. Here in the U.S., where the campaign to eliminate Christians from the Middle East started with the invasion of Iraq, nothing is being said about this. If this were a group of gay organizers, Muslims, or members of a teachers union, there would be international outcry. But these are just Christians who have been in Iraq since St. Thomas evangelised to them not long after Christ Ascended into Heaven… long before the Prophet appeared and began his religion.

Pete

Mr. Bush is making money off his book on the War of Iraq while Christians are paying for it with their lives…

Jshelton

A peace loving religion?? Yes there are millions of honest peace loving Muslims; but these attacks are not limited to one region of Islam. Such things happen in West Africa, Sudan, Indonesia, and Afganistan.

Isalm did not get to the middle of France and the gates of Vienna by well meaning folk passing out tracks. When will /Muslims as a group speak against this and act to stop it?

J.B.S.

AC

You are correct Joe. I work in Catholic media in the U.S. and many “Catholic” outlets are reluctant to report on these events save for http://www.catholicradiointernational.com and http://www.iraqichristianrelief.org. In general, Catholic medias' excuse in the U.S. was “we're in the middle of fundraiser.” What would be more compelling a hold listeners than to tell this story! Perhaps they're struggling because they don't have their priorities in order. U.S. secular media devoted an entire 5 seconds to the story. Many major newspapers didn't even carry the story.

Joyfully

You may be right AC, but I just popped on the internet at went to my bookmarked http://www.newadvent.org and this was the headliner story. Perhaps not enough time has elapsed since the latest bombing for them to report it. Also, I am guessing that the “Catholic” outlets pay their reporters a bit less and therefore get last dibs on breaking stories…but, I could be wrong.

aisake040188camaibau

I am sorry for my brothers and sisters in Iraq who face persecution in their daily lives. This must not taken lightly as the christians are facing this problem everyday. The church must do something to end this horrible act by the Muslim.Catholics must pray for them and the Holy Father must send a word of sympathy and comfort them during the time of their suffering.May the Lord guide and protect them in times of instability

Catholic State3

Muslims will not speak out against it….we Christians must start speaking out against it ourselves. We are too quite about it!

Camilo88

It is very dificult to outcry against the Christians genocide in Iraq and all terror that is going on in Iraq after US invasion. US administration has too much power in the world and, under Bush management, she is the one is backing this persecution and blood. So, everybody avoids to show how big is our pain and disgust against Bush and the wolves that he put killing Christians. US media everydays blaime our pain calling us liers, telling the time when iraqi people were killed was in Sadam regimen time, not now. Only normal and honest US citizen, and I pray and hope it, can start to open their eyes and to stop the US administration and US media support to the barbarism in Iraq against Christians and everybody. When this iraqi regimen decided to kill the Christian Tarek Aziz, ex-minister of Sadam, it is a clear message to kill all of the christians. And the death squads, obeyed imediatly doing it. Ashamed what US and UK did and not yet stop.